1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector with a spring biased contact surface, which is movable against the spring force when a force is directed to the contact surface upon establishing a contact with a connector counterpart. The phrase ‘spring biased contact surface’ refers in this application to a solution where the force of a spring is used to return the contact surface to a first rest position, when the contact surface is located somewhere else than in said rest position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Previously there is known a connector with a helical spring arranged inside the connector body. One such prior art connector 1 is shown in FIG. 1. This connector 1 comprises a housing 2 and a contact part 3 which is movable in relation to the housing 2 in the direction shown by the arrow. The housing 2 contains a helical spring 4, which presses a rear end of the contact part 3. A force directed to the contact surface 5 of the contact part 3, upon establishing a contact with a connector counterpart, will move the contact part 3 to the left in FIG. 1, against the spring force of the spring 4.
A problem with the prior art connector shown in FIG. 1 is that the spring force increases with the travel distance of the contact surface 5 from the rest position shown in FIG. 1. In other words, the spring force is at its lowest minimum when the contact surface 5 is located in the rest position, and the highest maximum is reached when the contact surface 5 has been moved to the left as much as possible in FIG. 1. This increase in the spring force has the disadvantage that the contact force between the contact surface 5 and the contact surface of a connector counterpart varies. Such a variation of the contact force is not acceptable because it affects the electrical performance of the connector. Another problem with a variation in the contact force is that the contact force may increase to a level where the plating of the contact surface 5 is damaged.